


Losing Ground

by CherryK



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, Phil is a distraction, Sparring
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-11
Updated: 2014-09-11
Packaged: 2018-02-17 00:24:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2290175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CherryK/pseuds/CherryK
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They circle each other like tigers waiting for the right moment to attack their prey. Melinda forgets to focus on her opponent for a second and suddenly the ground is gone from beneath her feet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Losing Ground

**Author's Note:**

> Short drabble written for badassblackwidowcavalry on tumblr.

They had been in the cargo bay for nearly an hour. Melinda brushed a lose strand of hair, wet and sticky with sweat, back behind her ear and focused on her opponent again. Phil. His brows were furrowed and his chest heaved – she had pinned him down several times during their sparring session, but he didn’t seem ready to give up yet. Not giving up, that was so very much _him,_ Melinda thought.

Like tigers ready to attack they were now circling each other, calculating, watching every move, every change in the other’s gaze closely. She kept her poker face. He wouldn’t figure her out. She was waiting for the right moment to strike, pin him down again. Phil shifted his weight, leaning ever so slightly to the right, as though he were considering getting at her from that side. She had figured him out. She wouldn’t let him win.

There was a certain elegance to the way he moved. It was nothing like hers, for he wasn’t as flexible, as quick as her, but he was stronger and – even though he had never practiced Tai’Chi – his sense of balance was admirable. Phil’s movements were smooth and controlled and, even though she would never admit it, she couldn’t help but be transfixed by the way muscles shifted underneath his sweat-soaked shirt.

Rapidly he closed in on her, something she hadn’t been prepared for. She had let herself lose focus for a second. Or maybe two. Mentally she scolded herself for not paying attention and tried to dodge him, leaping to the left, but-

Suddenly the ground was gone from beneath her bare feet. Melinda prepared for the air to be forced from her lungs. The mats weren’t too solid, but solid enough to leave one breathless upon impact.

The impact never came.

Instead, she found herself lifted up into the air, Phil’s arms wrapped around her middle and he was so very, very _close_. Melinda didn’t notice that she was holding her breath until it became painfully necessary.

“Distracted?” A goofy grin had spread on his face.

That made a smile tug at the corners of her mouth as well. She had never been able to resist him in moments like these.

“Me? What makes you think that?”

“I got you.”

“You didn’t pin me down.”

“I win anyway.”

“I pinned you down four times in just one hour.”

“Maybe so. But you never caught _me_ off guard.”

“That doesn’t make things look any better for you.”

Phil took a moment to realize his mistake, while Melinda stared at him, amused. He shrugged it off. She raised an eyebrow at him.

“I still win.”

“What-“

“Your heart, Melinda.”

He looked up at her lovingly, squeezing her lightly in his grasp. Her smile broadened and she felt warmth flood her; a warmth so very different from the heat of a spar. He had a point, she thought as she gently placed her hands on his shoulders and kissed him.


End file.
